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Accessible Pedestrian Signals:
Making Your Community Safer and More Accessible for Everyone
By Donna Smith, Training and Technical Assistance Specialist and Susan Clark, Technical
Assistance Specialist
Independent travel with access to public and private transportation, places of business and government
services begins with a pedestrian-friendly environment that accommodates the unique abilities of all
citizens. In recognition of the significant role of accessible intersections in achieving independent
mobility for people who are blind or visually impaired, the following information has been compiled to
answer some frequently asked questions regarding accessible pedestrian signals (APS). Effective use
of this information will contribute to the removal of barriers to access in the community. Resources
are provided for more in-depth information once a decision has been made to install accessible
pedestrian signals.
What is an Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS)?
An accessible pedestrian signal (APS) provides the information that is conveyed in visual WALK
signals in an audible, verbal, and/or vibrotactile manner indicating the crossing phase. In many
situations, it is nothing more than a fancy pedestrian push-button. It provides access to one piece of
information that a pedestrian can use to make the best decision possible about when it is safe to cross
the street.
What is the purpose of an APS?
The purpose of an APS is to provide access to the information indicated by the visual WALK signal
and its timed interval that sighted pedestrians receive. The pedestrian must still use all the other skills
at his or her command to make the safest crossing possible, but it is no longer necessary to guess when
the WALK sign is engaged. Also, APS may provide non-visual information to pedestrians about:
• Intersection signalization
• Existence and location of the push-button (through locator tones)
• Beginning and duration of the WALK interval
• Direction of the crosswalk and location of the destination curb (through sound beaconing)
• Intersection geometry (through maps, diagrams or speech)
• Intersection street names in Braille, raised print or speech
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Who uses APS?
Everyone. While the features of an APS are designed to provide audible and/or vibrotactile
information of use to people who are blind or visually impaired, all pedestrians can benefit from access
to the additional features and the enhanced information they offer.
What are some examples of the benefits for everyone?
When the push-button is pressed on an APS, the pedestrian receives both a visual and an audible
indication that the signal has been engaged and that the request for a WALK cycle has been
transmitted. This feedback eliminates wondering whether the push-button works and forestalls the
tendency to press the button repeatedly.
Receiving confirmation that the signal has been engaged may also encourage pedestrians to wait for
the WALK cycle rather than anxiously dart across an intersection at the first opportunity.
Also, research shows that pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired begin crossing sooner after
the light change when there is an APS than they do when there is no APS, allowing for more time to
make the street crossing. See the chapter titled, “Accessible Pedestrian Signals: Synthesis and Guide
to Best Practice” (Chapter 2) at the following Web site address: http://www.walkinginfo.org/aps.
Can APS be incorporated into standard pedestrian signal systems?
Yes. The APS is often nothing more than a new-style ped push-button, which uses the exact same
wiring as the old-style ones. Some require the addition of a control module to the controller cabinet or
in a ped signal head, but even these additions are simple and routine. A report available from the U.S.
Architectural and Transportation Compliance Board (The U.S. Access Board) provides guidance on
available APS products and the interface with traffic signal controllers. For a copy of the report titled
“Interfacing Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) with Traffic Signal Control Equipment,” visit the
following Web site address:
http://www.access-board.gov/research&training/APS/report.htm
To what extent are APS required?
Transportation legislation, including the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of
1991 and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) of 1998, calls for
mainstreaming pedestrian (and bicycle) projects into planning, design and operation of the nation's
transportation system. The document titled “Planning and Funding Accessible Pedestrian Facilities”
also states, “Accessibility is not an exclusive or separate issue. Rather, accessibility design is
fundamental to the walking environment, because all pedestrians with or without disabilities benefit
from accessibility design. Accessibility is an intrinsic part of planning, retrofitting and constructing
pedestrian facilities, along with safe accommodation and good design.” To read the full document, go
to the following Web address: http://www.ite.org/library/accessibleped.asp.
What does the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices require?
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) issued by the Federal Highway
Administration is, by law, the national standard for all traffic control devices including APS. Section
4E.06 of the MUTCD 2003 edition states, “If a particular signalized location presents difficulties for
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pedestrians who have visual disabilities to cross reasonably safely and effectively, an engineering
study should be conducted that considers the safety and effectiveness for all pedestrians in general, as
well as the information needs of pedestrians with visual disabilities.” The MUTCD provides
information crucial in conducting such a study and the decision-making process for determining if
there is a need for an APS. Once it has been decided to install an APS, sections 4E.06 and 4E.09
prescribe certain mandatory and recommended features and operational requirements. The MUTCD is
available at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
What does the ADA say?
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires municipalities and states to make their
programs accessible if no undue hardship is imposed by the changes. Since pedestrian circulation is
considered a program, APS may be necessary to provide access to certain types of existing
intersections. Also, the ADA’s effective communication requirement stipulates that information shall
be communicated as effectively to people with disabilities as to all others. To ensure that a resident is
not denied use of sidewalks and street crossings because of a disability, a community may need to
retrofit an existing signalized intersection with APS if it has been identified by one or more people as
needing accessible crossing information. Some municipalities consider the addition of APS at
intersections part of their ADA transition plan
For copies of the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II regulations, go to this Web address:
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/publicat.htm or call the Disability and Business Technical Assistance
Center ADA Hotline at 800-949-4232 (voice/TDD).
What does The U.S. Access Board say about APS?
Guidelines developed by The U.S. Access Board call for APS to be installed at all newly signalized or
altered intersections that include the installation of visual pedestrian signals. If visual pedestrian
signals are warranted, then audible and vibrotactile output is necessary as well.
Although the federal rulemaking process to adopt The U.S. Access Board’s guidelines into ADA
regulations is not yet complete, the guidelines and supplementary information are available at this Web
address: http://www.access-board.gov/rowdraft.htm, or contact the Access Board at 202-272-0080
(voice) or 202-272-0082 (TTD). Documents are available in alternate formats.
If ADA regulations for APS haven’t been finalized, how do we know what to do now?
First, it should be recognized that the MUTCD contains legally mandated standards regarding the
design and operation of APS once the decision to install them has been made. Second, it is important
to understand that the requirements for equal access under Title II of the ADA are real, and the fact
that the process for adopting standards for public rights of way is not yet complete does not absolve
municipalities of the obligation to design for accessibility. As evidenced through the resources listed
in this document, there is extensive research and guidance available on making intersections
accessible. The U.S. Access Board’s draft guidelines established with input from experts in the field
are an excellent resource for determining how to achieve the access that Title II of the ADA requires.
If we make a good effort to design for access now and the standards, when adopted into law,
differ somewhat from current guidance, will we be required to redo the work then?
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No. The standards when adopted into law will be effective for new intersections and alterations to
existing intersections from the effective date forward.
What is the cost of installing APS?
Many factors affect the cost of making a signalized intersection accessible such as whether it is an
existing pedestrian signal in need of retrofitting or an intersection scheduled to receive a newly
installed pedestrian signal. The number of crosswalks determined to need WALK signals and the type
of APS chosen are additional factors. Generally, the cost of retrofitting a four-legged intersection to
include APS on all four crosswalks ranges from $8,000 to $12,000. This cost is often reduced when
multiple intersections are retrofitted simultaneously. Costs can also be further reduced when APS are
included in the initial installation of an overall project.
What funding sources are available to cover this cost?
Generally, the same source that funds the visual signals should also fund the accessibility of those
signals. When the installation of a pedestrian signal is being considered, the assumption should be that
it will be accessible, thus eliminating the need to approach the visual signal and the accessible features
as separate considerations. In addition, there are federal funds available to help a municipality increase
the safety and accessibility of the pedestrian environment including specific funds for improving
access to public transportation.
The document titled, “Planning and Funding Accessible Pedestrian Facilities” states in part, “The
combined funding of federal, state and local government on surface transportation is one of this
country's largest domestic spending programs… Pedestrian projects and programs are eligible for
funding in almost every major federal-aid surface transportation category.” Among the funding
sources listed in this document for transportation enhancement are:
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Federal-Aid Highway Programs
Surface Transportation Program (STP)
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program
Recreational Trails Program
Federal Lands Highways Program
National Scenic Byways Program
Urbanized Area Formula Grants
Capital Investment Grants and Loans
Formula Program for other than Urbanized Area
Also see the Web page at: http://www.ite.org/library/accessibleped.asp.
According to the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Transportation Taskforce on Improved
Pedestrian Rights of Way, states have under-spent the funds available for the Transportation
Enhancement program by about $700 million since FY 1998. See this Web address for more
information: http://www.c-c-d.org/CCDSafetea.paper.htm
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What benefits to the community do APS provide?
The provision of APS makes the community more usable for all pedestrians and sends a clear message
that all citizens are valued members of that community. The installation of APS demonstrates an
understanding that the senior population is ever increasing and that vision loss is prevalent in this
population. APS also provide an additional cue to alert children and youth who may be easily
distracted by other interests as to when the crossing phase begins. Like many features of disability
access, APS will prove beneficial to all pedestrians, and as noted in the publication, Policy on
Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, “Pedestrians are the life blood of a community.” This
document can be found at the following Web address:
https://www.transportation.org/publications/bookstore.nsf/ViewPublication?openform&ParentUNID=
6BAA51C12B7F431D86256A3800574F81
What about business owners and residents who don’t want the additional noise of the audible
signals?
Modern audible signals fit more harmoniously into the sound environment of the intersection and are
only as loud as needed because the volume adjusts in response to ambient sound. There are a variety
of audible signals from which to choose, and one is sure to provide the access features needed while
not adding to the noise pollution of the neighborhood. Many people remember some of the first
audible signals used which emitted a loud, shrill tone for the duration of the WALK cycle. Such
signals actually proved dangerous to pedestrians who are blind because they masked all other audible
cues.
What is the best way to determine where APS are needed?
There are three points to consider:
1. Wherever new pedestrian signals are installed, it is only logical to install APS as a costsaving approach and one that advances the goal of increasing access for everyone in the
community. Furthermore, The U.S. Access Board’s draft guidelines established with input
from experts in the field, when adopted, may change that “should” to a “shall.”
2. Any individual’s request for an existing intersection to be made accessible should be
considered a request for accommodation under Title II of the ADA, and if no undue
hardship is imposed, then an APS should be provided. It is important to recognize that an
individual makes such a request in order to increase safety and independence in travel to
conduct business in the community. Therefore, it will prove beneficial to the community to
provide the APS.
3. A community could choose to take a proactive approach to determining which existing
signalized intersections should be retrofitted with APS by forming a working group for this
purpose. It is recommended that such a group should include someone with fiscal
responsibility, a traffic engineer, a disability service provider such as an orientation and
mobility instructor, a disability advocate and a representative from the senior population.
Where public transportation exists, it is also recommended that the transit provider be
included. If a group already exists to address bicycle and pedestrian safety issues, a
representative from this group could help toward consolidating efforts to make the
community safer and more accessible for everyone.
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How do people who are blind or visually impaired cross streets?
A combination of techniques is used to analyze an intersection and determine when it is safe to cross,
including prior knowledge acquired about the intersection, physical cues in the environment, and
audible cues such as traffic sounds and information gained from other pedestrians.
The most available cue is the surge of parallel traffic – the sound of traffic starting from a standing
stop and moving smoothly through the intersection in the through lanes closest to the pedestrian.
However, as signalization becomes more complex in an effort to move larger volumes of vehicular
traffic, the need to know precisely when the WALK interval begins has become crucial to determine
when it is safe to cross the street, since the sound of the surge of the parallel traffic may be masked by
turning traffic and the quick progression of signals allowing particular lanes of traffic to move.
Other factors which make relying on traffic sounds more difficult:
• Newer vehicles which are more silent because of quieter engines
• Heavy equipment used for cleaning or construction
• Music, often boosted by amplifiers, of street performers and car sound systems
• Idling buses and trucks
Such factors can make it impossible to determine when it is best to cross using sound cues, thus
prohibiting a pedestrian who is blind or visually impaired from independently moving forward. The
behavior of fellow pedestrians is often one of the most unreliable cues as pedestrians who can see often
dart across at the first visible break in traffic, which may not coincide with the WALK interval. So
increasingly, an APS when available is becoming the most reliable cue.
If you have additional questions about mobility techniques used by people who are blind or visually
impaired, go to the source – ask a pedestrian in your community who has firsthand experience using
such techniques or ask an orientation and mobility professional.
How many people are blind or visually impaired?
According to the Lighthouse International publication, Statistics on Vision Impairment: A Resource
Manual (April 2002):
• 4.3 million Americans are severely visually impaired
• 1.1 million are legally blind
• Incidence increases with age
• By 2010, it is expected that there will be 20 million visually impaired people over age 45.
For further statistics, visit this Web site: http://www.lighthouse.org/research_statistics.htm
How prevalent are pedestrian deaths and injuries?
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and
Analysis reports that in 2002, 71,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes and 4,808 were killed.
On average a pedestrian is injured in a traffic crash every 7 minutes and is killed every 109 minutes.
See Transit Safety Facts 2002 (DOT HS 809 614) at this Web site:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2002/2002pedfacts.pdf
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Traffic crashes involving pedestrians include a comprehensive range of all populations. Children
younger than age 16 are most likely to be struck by motor vehicles. Seniors, although less frequently
struck than children, are more likely to die after being struck by a motor vehicle. Starting at age 70,
the rate is nearly twice as high as it is for people younger than 70. See the Insurance Institute on
Highway Safety’s June 2003 Q & A on pedestrians at this Web site:
http://www.iihs.org/safety_facts/qanda/peds.htm
While the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration does not collect statistics on how
many pedestrian accidents involve individuals with disabilities, the correlation between visual
impairment and aging is likely to be a factor in some crashes involving older pedestrians. In addition,
the American Council of the Blind reports that a substantial number of its members have either been
struck by moving vehicles or had “close encounters” with moving vehicles hitting their white canes.
Learn more at this Web site: http://www.acb.org/magazine/1999/bf0399.html
What guidance is available regarding the purchase and installation of APS?
“Accessible Pedestrian Signals: Synthesis and Guide to Best Practice” provides overall information on
installation criteria and design considerations. A shortened version is available in a July 2003
Research Results Digest on the Internet at this address:
http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/nchrp/nchrp_rrd_278.pdf or a print copy can be ordered from the
Transportation Research Board publications department. The full document is available online at
http://www.walkinginfo.org/aps
The online guide allows users to:
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•
•
Find an APS device according to its type and features.
Review APS features currently available.
Learn about where APS are required, where they are needed and how to prioritize installations.
Read about the experiences of U.S. cities that have installed APS.
Download print versions of the example rating scales and field adjustments.
The Federal Highway Administration has standards and guidelines for APS in the Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). It provides federally mandated standards which must, by law, be
adopted by states as the legal standard for traffic control devices and includes guidance on APS in
chapter 4E and Temporary Traffic Control Elements in chapter 6D. The MUTCD is available at
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/.
Is there one source to call for help on how to get started?
For technical assistance on how to improve access in your pedestrian environment, contact:
Easter Seals Project ACTION
Phone: 202-347-3066 (Voice) or 202-347-7385 (TDD)
Toll Free: 800-659-6428
E-mail: projectaction@easterseals.com
Web site: www.projectaction.org
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Acknowledgements
Easter Seals Project ACTION would like to thank the following individuals for reviewing and
commenting on this document:
Janet Barlow, Accessible Design for theBlind
Julie Carroll, National Council on Disability
Philip J. Caruso, Institute of Transportation Engineers
Michael J. Farrell, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Lukas Franck, The Seeing Eye, Inc.
Anthony Ginacola, National Association of County Engineers
Bill Kloos, City of Portland, Oregon
Ken Kobetsky, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
Jim McDonnell, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
David Noyce, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Phil Strong, The American Council of the Blind
Lois Thibault, The U.S. Access Board
Scott Wainwright, Federal Highway Administration
A note about Web site links: Precise URL links are included in this document for your convenience.
All links were tested prior to publication. Because organizations that maintain Web sites sometimes
change and discontinue pages, please contact the sponsoring organization (generally indicated near the
beginning of the URL) if the page you seek is not available.
Assistance for Easter Seals Project ACTION is derived through a cooperative agreement with the U.S.
Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration.
This document is disseminated under sponsorship of Easter Seals Project ACTION in the interest of
information exchange. Neither Easter Seals Project ACTION, nor the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, assumes liability for its contents or use thereof.
Reproduction Statement: If reproduced please credit Easter Seals Project ACTION with original
development and production.
August 2004
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